Chapter 152

In the hour shrouded in darkness,

On a luxurious, fluffy bed.

The girl, clad in a white pajama adorned with gold embroidery, focused all her attention on a woman’s tale, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“And so, the princess safely slayed the hero and married the Demon King, living happily ever after.”

“Wow~”

The woman finished her story with a gentle smile. Then, she slowly reached out her hand towards the girl lying down and softly caressed her head.

Her movements were skillful yet filled with warmth. Receiving that calming touch, a cozy smile danced on the girl’s lips.

“Now then… it’s time for you to sleep, Your Majesty.”

“I want to hear a bit more. It’s not even midnight yet, we still have time.”

“If you keep this up, you’ll wake up late. You have many things to do tomorrow, so let’s end it here for tonight.”

“Umm~”

At that, the girl puffed up her cheeks adorably. Seeing such an irresistibly cute sight, the woman couldn’t help but wear a helpless expression.

“Sigh… I can’t help it; it’s Your Majesty’s command. Then, I’ll tell you just one more story. But this really will be the last one.”

“Okay! I promise!”

The girl beamed brightly and her eyes began to sparkle again. With her face full of anticipation, the woman started to share another tale.

“Let’s see… this time, I’ll tell you a story of my own experience. Do you remember the dish you ate this morning, Your Majesty?”

“Of course! It was a spicy vegetable stew with a red hue; it was quite tasty.”

“Yes, you remember well! In fact, that dish used spices from the distant Eastern Region, not from our Kingdom of Frantz. Let me tell you how I brought those spices here.”

“Ooh~ That sounds interesting! Please tell me!”

The girl’s face lit up with curiosity. The woman wrapped her arm around the small body and began her tale.

“This story starts in Brittania… to be exact, in a little peninsula in the central western part of the Gibraltar cliffs. There, I happened to…”

As the woman’s story resumed, the girl, even with her eyes growing heavy, focused entirely on the soothing voice that felt like a lullaby.

Calm and peaceful, it washed over her, allowing her to cleanse the weariness of the day and drift off peacefully in the woman’s warm embrace.

Like being cradled in the arms of a mother whose face she could barely remember…

*

The streets were filled with countless people. In the Commercial City of Gibraltar, true to its name, many were busy with trade today.

Merchants from various countries and customers wanting to purchase goods crowded the place. While it bore a resemblance to Benessa, unlike that city, which was slowly dimming like a flickering light, this place was one of the greatest thriving trade cities on the continent.

Merchants hawked their wares with loud voices, and children with skewered snacks and fruits wandered about, beaming with joy.

However, amidst the overwhelmingly lively atmosphere,

She…

Queen Louis wore a deep shadow across her face.

“Umm…”

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“Ah… no… it’s nothing bad…”

“Then smile.”

“…What?”

“I said smile. Brightly.”

“Ugh…”

With a forced smile, Lemain’s insistence brought a mix of happiness and frustration to Queen Louis, making her feel like her stomach was twisting as she reluctantly lifted her lips.

“See? You look nice when you smile. The weather is lovely, so don’t ruin the mood with a gloomy face.”

‘Damnit… how did I end up like this…’

She had words she wanted to say but couldn’t voice them and was forced to keep quiet.

That was the ‘contract’ she had with this woman.

At that moment,

“So, where exactly is that black market you mentioned?”

“Umm… if I recall correctly, it should be somewhere over there. At the Pillar of Hercules… on the central western side of the Gibraltar cliffs…”

As Queen Louis gestured in the general direction, recalling what Franklin had asked her earlier, the memories of a past courtier’s story about buying spices here lingered in her mind.

Though mere words, those unexpectedly vivid and detailed experiences remained etched in her memory.

Thanks to that, despite having never been in this location, she was able to navigate reasonably well. Following her lead, the pirates approached the monstrous cliff before them, which could almost be called a mountain of boulders.

‘What a relief! Everything matches exactly like what that person described!’

From the overall direction to landmarks such as statues, shops, and canals scattered around.

Though it was her first time here, the elements mentioned in her courtier’s story acted as precise signposts, guiding her without difficulty.

‘Honestly… I had no idea that knowledge from back then would be useful in such an unexpected way.’

Reflecting on her precious few good memories from a troubled childhood,

She had fallen asleep dreaming in the arms of the one person she trusted most…

Warm yet bittersweet.

As she felt a strange mix of emotions about the knowledge being used so unexpectedly now, Queen Louis glanced at the destination coming into view and said,

“There it is.”

What came into her sight was a shabby inn at first glance.

At the entrance, several men, dressed in shabby garb, huddled together like gatekeepers, squatting.

“Well… it certainly doesn’t look like an ordinary tavern. Something’s definitely up just by looking at it.”

“How can you tell?”

Queen Louis raised a brow, curious at Lemain’s remark.

Truthfully, even though she had led the way, the tavern in front of her looked just like any other regular shop.

And in response to her question, instead of Lemain, Franklin replied in a serious tone.

“If it were a normal tavern, they wouldn’t bother to have gatekeepers like that unless they planned to chase away customers. The atmosphere itself feels cautious, and more importantly, it’s overly quiet even for broad daylight. I’d bet they’re up to something other than just running a tavern inside.”

“Oh… I see.”

As Queen Louis listened to Franklin’s words, she expressed pure admiration.

At that moment,

“Well… let’s go in anyway. Whatever it is, we have to open the lid to see.”

Lemain spoke with a hint of discomfort in her voice.

However, the others were mostly oblivious to that feeling as they approached the building.

Then…

“What’s that?”

With cold, prickly gazes, the ‘gatekeepers’ stared back at them.

Their reactions certainly felt unsettling for a tavern.

In response to that,

Queen Louis handled the situation as she remembered.

“…E-Excuse me… a peipeo taol-i yogiingne?”

“…”

Queen Louis spoke in an incomprehensible ancient language.

However, regardless of any confusion, her words appeared to be correct, as the gatekeepers exchanged glances and nodded slightly.

And then…

“Go on.”

They turned away, pretending not to notice after allowing them entry.

With the gatekeeper’s permission granted, Queen Louis and her party stepped inside.

What greeted them next was a shabby tavern that looked no different than the outside.

There were almost no customers, just a man who seemed to be the owner quietly wiping plates at one side.

Ignoring the owner, they moved directly to the side door located opposite the entrance.

As soon as they opened the door and stepped in…

“Wow…”

“…”

What appeared before their eyes was a surprisingly vast space.

A large market set amid towering cliffs,

It rivaled even the central market they had seen earlier in scale, filling Queen Louis with a sense of relief and accomplishment at successfully guiding them here.

At that moment,

“Good job! It seems we arrived safely thanks to you.”

With a word of praise, Lemain affectionately ruffled her hair.

Although she still couldn’t fully accept the gesture comfortably,

The sensation was skillful yet strangely familiar.